The Israeli military has issued draft notices to enlist 1,000 men from the devout Haredi community as part of an initial group of 3,000 to be conscripted in the coming weeks. This action follows a ruling by Israel’s Supreme Court mandating that ultra-Orthodox men no longer receive exemptions from military service, ending a longstanding agreement that has been in place since the establishment of Israel in 1948.
The conscription decision comes amid rising regional tensions after the Israeli military carried out air strikes on Houthi rebel positions in Yemen. This escalation followed a drone attack by the Houthi group that targeted Tel Aviv, resulting in casualties.
The issue of conscripting ultra-Orthodox men is highly contentious in Israel, with the Haredi leadership strongly opposing such efforts. Some rabbis have even urged followers to burn their draft notices. Many ultra-Orthodox Jews, who typically attend religious schools or yeshivas, believe military service conflicts with their way of life. However, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has persisted for over nine months following the Hamas terror attack on October 7, has intensified pressure from both the military and secular Israelis to distribute the burden of military service more equitably.
Israeli law mandates that citizens serve in the military from age 18 for at least 24 months, with around 300,000 individuals called up for reserve duty since October 7. The government has indicated that it may need to extend military service for both conscripts and reservists to address national security needs.
The Israeli military has warned that ignoring multiple draft orders could result in travel restrictions or imprisonment. This follows a recent Houthi drone attack on a Tel Aviv apartment building that killed one person and injured eight others. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Israel would defend itself “by all means,” leading to a series of airstrikes in Yemen—the first direct Israeli strikes on the country. Houthi sources reported six deaths and over 80 injuries from these strikes.
The situation has been further complicated by Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks from southern Lebanon, raising concerns of a broader regional conflict. Saudi Arabia has called for restraint, criticizing the Israeli strike on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah for escalating tensions and disrupting efforts to resolve the Gaza conflict.
In response to the ongoing conflict, Netanyahu has ordered the dispatch of a delegation to negotiate with Hamas regarding hostages, though the destination of this delegation has not been specified. Previous ceasefire efforts led by Qatar, Egypt, and supported by the United States have yet to achieve a resolution, with both sides of the Gaza conflict blaming each other for the stalemate.